


An Old Bat's Curse

by drneocortex



Category: Crash Bandicoot (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Bat Cortex, Blood, Blood Drinking, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I mean hes a vampire BAT, M/M, My First AO3 Post, Not Your Average Vampire Story, Romantic Fluff, Vampires, i dont know though im just kind of writing as i go, ill update tags and such if anything changes if i can, maybe a little bit of crashtex, maybe angst idk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:01:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25103599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drneocortex/pseuds/drneocortex
Summary: Cortex discovers that he has turned into a bat, and since no one recognizes him for who he really is besides a bat with a taste for blood, he goes to Crash for help to change him back.(Takes place far after Twinsanity; my own personal Family AU for Cortex may imply here)
Relationships: Crash Bandicoot/Neo Cortex
Comments: 11
Kudos: 26





	An Old Bat's Curse

It was a dark and stormy night on N. Sanity Island.

Warm yet heavy rains were tinkling down hard on the land at this late hour. An hour of which everyone has gone to bed long ago. The birds have went to bed. The skunks and alligators are fast asleep also. Even the little hut of a home that sits near N. Sanity Beach, of which contains the happy little Bandicoot family, was as quiet as the calm ocean tide in the early morning. The whole island was asleep, except for the storm crying down onto it and the rest of the Archipelago...and one little man running desperately in the island's wilderness. 

The water soaked soil squished under the man's boots as he ran through the wooded jungles of N. Sanity Island. He pushed through the large, wet shrubbery with a swat like it was a spider web and beat down any branches in his way with his gloved fists. 

Was this man lost? Or was he looking for something? Either way, he desperation for _SOMETHING_ seeped through his every move. 

"Stupid rain..." The main whined.

He tried to shake off the wetness that landed on him and everything he touched as he tried to get through the jungle. It was dark like he was looking down in an endless abyss! And then... he did find himself walking into an actual wet spider web. Once realizing the sudden odd feeling of touching something long, thin, and sticky, man screeched in fear as he wiggled around and flailed his arms like a mad man. 

His sudden freak-out over a web caused him to trip over a tree's root and fall over with a big **THUD!** and then roll off what he assumed to be a muddied steep hill. He cried as he tried to stop himself from falling, but it was too dark. Only the sudden flashes of lightning gave him only a few seconds of sight to see where the hell he was going. Once the sky crackled another strike of lightning, the man could see only for a split second that he was almost near the warm, sandy beaches of N. Sanity Beach.

He smiled, a huge wave of excitement and hope took over his face even if no one were to see it. Quickly, he ran over towards the direction he saw the beach, clumsily tripping over rocks and large tree roots. Getting hit by branches he didn't bother to try and look out for with his hands and even walking into a whole ass tree trunk. He probably had heard a faint _tearing_ noise back there.

Despite all of Mother Nature's gradual punishments towards this dude, he finally made it. Flopping out of the horrendous jungle, head first into the sand. _He made it._

Now, where was that Bandicoot's house at?

* * *

No one knew what time it was. It could be 10 pm to anyone who would've cared, maybe even in the mornings where it was still dark like 12 or even 4 am.

Too bad Crash isn't the best at reading time though, at least on those classic clocks that had the hands on them. Crash started at the clock in his room, frowning at it as he just sat there in the dark.

The constant sound of lightning being struck scared the poor marsupial wide awake. He worried that sometime while he's sleeping, the universe will strike those bolts of electricity onto his home and cook him and his family alive. 

He scratched his head and let out a loud yawn before rolling out of bed. Maybe a late night Wumpa fruit snack might calm his nerves?

Crash slowly crept out of his room and then into the living room. He had his hand against the wall looking for the kitchen's light switch. The storm was still brewing outside, so for every loud crackle of the sky throwing lighting at whatever poor soul, Crash immediately jumped and let out a little yip or even a "Whoa!"

He probably jumped so much that his orange fur was standing on its ends! He could feel it...

Just as Crash carefully made his way to the other side of the living room to get to the kitchen, he quickly turned his head towards the front door when he heard three hard knocks. Now, who could be his house at this kind of hour? Who would be so crazy enough to come visit the Bandicoot family when Mother Nature is literally crying hard all over the Archipelago? 

With a quick stretch, Crash walked over to the carefully. Anyone could be at that door! When he got close enough, Crash put his ear against the door to try and hear who it might be. Maybe it was Pura, stuck outside again. But the last time Crash remembered, _tigers can't knock on peoples doors._

Crash stood silent while he tried to hear any voices from the other side of the wooden door. He could hear angry mumbling coming from the other side. It sounded like someone was cursing under their breath while shuddering as if they were really cold. The door got hit with the same three knocks again which made Crash stand up and take a step back.

"Uh, hello?" the strange visitor greeted from the other side of the door. "Is anybody awake? Ugh...they better be...."

That... _voice._

That voice sounds like Cortex!

Crash rose a brow. Was that really Cortex? What's _he_ doing here?! He wouldn't bother to be out in the rain at a time like this...hell...he probably wouldn't be out in the rain at ALL!

Crash looked up and through the mini window that was on his door. Was that really Cortex? Good thing he didn't turn on the lights because if it wasn't him and just some stranger that just _sounded like_ Cortex, he would've been screwed. 

The orange marsupial's eyes looked all around the front porch of his little home. No one was there...until he looked down to see a man with a big head. That _looked_ like Cortex. Crash also spotted out the same white lab coat he always saw on Cortex, even a nice glimpse of the same yellow rubber gloves that weird man wore all the time. Crash smiled, it _was_ Cortex!!

The marsupial quickly put his hands on the door knob and turned it. He quickly flew the door wide open and the reveal behind the door made his jaw literally **drop.**

All Crash would 'say' was let out a slightly louder "WOAH!" in response.

* * *

Large pointed ears replaced where Cortex's springy hair used to be. His arms were met with oversized bat wings that hung under them and led up to be connected to the sides of his body. He had dark brown fur all over his face, and most likely in other places Crash would assume so that's all covered under the man's clothing. Cortex's nose was shaped differently, kind of almost like a Sheath-Tailed Bat's nose in a way. Even Cortex's eyes weren't the same. They were pinkish with mahogany colored irises. Crash also gulped when he spotted the two sharp fangs that poked out from Cortex's lips.

Was this _really_ Cortex?

Cortex looked up at the orange marsupial. He could see the shock and confusion written all over the mammal's face. Cortex's large bat ears pulled back when he noticed this response, and then looked down at the wet wood when he realized of what he was going to say.

"Crash," he sighed. "I know we've done this ONCE and I was genuinely hoping of never having to result to this again, but...I need your help."

Crash blinked. It has a good several months since they've joined forces for the first (and last) time. He wasn't expecting a weirdly formed Cortex to literally plead to him about needing his help again. Cortex looked desperate, and maybe even scared about something. Crash even noticed how Cortex struggled to get here, his clothes were covered in mud and some bits of plants. It looked wet from being in the rain. 

"Well?" Cortex inquired, a bit annoyed. "What are you standing there for? Are you going to help me or not?"

Crash still stared at the Cortex looking bat in front of him. He stuck his tongue out to the side of his mouth and he leaned forward and began to touch Cortex's face. He grabbed his beard to inspect it, which brought pain to the smaller man because Crash was gripping it tightly and brought it towards himself. Crash looked at the small tuff of hair on Cortex's head and looked at it as well.

"UGH! STOP IT! STOP IT, YOU MAMMAL!" Cortex barked. "It's me, okay?! I'm Cortex! I'm LITERALLY CORTEX!!" 

The man waved his arms out of frustration, his bat wings following with every movement he made. It was like a cape. Hypnotizing even! Crash kept trying to inspect Cortex to make sure it's actually him, but was stopped by Cortex putting his hands on the marsupial's chest and pushing him back.

"I told you to _quit it,_ " Cortex growled. "Maybe you'd understand if I told you what happened, ay?"

Crash didn't respond for a few seconds, he just stared before nodding his head a bit. Cortex made a look and then turned it into a small smile from the response. 

"Good."

Without a word, Cortex then shoved Crash to the side as he entered his cozy, little home. Crash watch as the little bat man walked towards one of the chairs in the living room to sit in it. He then noticed a thing or to about Cortex while the marsupial himself reentered his home and shut the door.

One, Cortex's lab coat was torn in the back. From the lower right side of his body towards the middle, there was a huge tear in the fabric that exposed Cortex's black shirt from underneath. That, and his whole back was covered in mud stains. Cortex _really did_ have a hard struggle trying to get to Crash's house in the dark and pouring rain.

Two, Cortex has a tail. Like a literal dark brown tail sticking out from under his lab coat. It wasn't too long, but it wasn't too short either and it had a pointed tip. It just looked like a regular bat tail, and it was honestly quite noticeable as it swayed side to side lightly as Cortex walked. Cortex probably doesn't notice it. It's honestly kind of cute and unexpected.

The sky once again screamed out another flash of lightning which made Crash jump. He quickly dashed one of the other seats in the living room and cowered in it. Cortex just stared at the mammal on the other side of the room and gave a look that just said _"Really?"_

Before Cortex sat down in his seat, he turned to Crash quickly after realizing something. He looked tense. "That goody-two-shoes of a mask and those two other bandicoots are asleep, correct?" he inquired.

Crash fixed himself in the chair he was sitting in. He simply nodded his head "Yes."

This response made Cortex feel a bit more relaxed, a smile growing on his face. "Good, good, excellent!" He praised. "Because if not I don't want your bumbling sister, Coco, nor Crunch freaking out and beating me all because they only see me as a pesky bat!"

"Gosh, it's dark in here..." Cortex said casually. He felt the wall with his hands and flicked on a light switch that immediately lit up the whole living room. "Were you just sitting here in the dark all alone?"

That was a rhetorical question. Crash didn't seem to get it so he shook his head before giving a small smile towards Cortex.

Cortex rolled his eyes at this, and plopped himself on a comfy green recliner. "Alright, so...where do I begin?"

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time posting to AO3 so i may not understand how everything works! Butt this isnt my first crash fanfic lol Ive been planning this for a little bit. This fic and idea of bat cortex was heavily inspired by a pic i saw on tumblr of many doodles of bat cortex made by Starsstreak. Its 2 years old but still.  
> Im kinda nervous about this but also really excited. Its 1 am here and im pretty tired so see ya!! I'll update when I can and might update tags and such if things ever change in the future.


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